Sessions is on the way out…

And the process of removing him, evidently, is slow humiliation.

Jeff Sessions was the first major political figure to endorse Donald Trump early in the primary season entitled (and entitles) him, at the least, to respectful consideration and professional courtesy by the Administration. Then Senator Sessions took quite a risk; his early endorsement of Trump triggered ridicule, even some ostracism. His colleagues wondered about his judgment. And then he gave up his seat in the U.S. Senate to accept this cabinet appointment. He is not some billionaire of staggering wealth who can simply return to the hedge fund after an Administration appointment goes sour.

I am old enough to remember when Trump supporters told us we should trust Trump because Sessions trusts him. Now some of those same commentators are telling us we shouldn’t trust Sessions because Trump doesn’t.

Frankly, I have never been a fan of Sessions’ brand of authoritarian conservatism. He is hostile to many things libertarians care about. His recent support for continuation of the travesty called civil asset forfeiture is an example.

That said, he doesn’t deserve the treatment he is getting. In fact, treating supporters this way is bad for Donald Trump and his Administration.

We have seen the manner in which Trump has treated his supporters. We watched as he treated Chris Christie like a S&M gimp, we saw the way he left Sean Spicer twisting in the wind, we heard him publicly refer to key advisor Steve Bannon as “just a guy who works for me” and now we watch the slow immolation of Jeff Sessions.

There is absolutely positively no way this treatment of subordinates isn’t already having a negative effect on the Administration. Recruiting the best and brightest talent to run the executive branch requires recruitment and that cannot be easy for this White House. After all, would you respond to this ad?

Wanted: Experienced professional to work in government office, to be berated daily, to be sabotaged by supervisor’s family and inner circle, to be sidelined and be publically humiliated before being ultimately fired in a very public way. Apply 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Treating staff this way will absolutely, positively result in a lack of loyalty and an extreme difficulty recruiting talent. It is impossible to believe that President Trump’s circle of loyal supporters in the administration isn’t small and shrinking. After all, the foundation of loyalty is reciprocity.